If you run a Cardano node, that is an instance of process, is this process serving as both settlement layer and side chain layer? or These two layers have their own node process respectively? I am reading Cardano architecture overview — Cardano Documentation 1.0.0 documentation to have a look at Cardano’s architecture, but it doesn’t metion where the two layers are. You know what, when I learned that Cardanao has two layers, I just naturally thought that two layers must have different programs, physically two codebases. This is my confusion.
I don’t think they are separate processes. It’s been a while since I’ve dug into this but I believe everything thus far, prior to Gougen, is the settlement layer. Please update this thread if you find any different.
Cardano nodes are top level components of the network. They interact with each other with in networking layer. Basically creating the network.
Stake Pools use nodes to validate pool interactions on the network and produce blocks.
Wallets are like the back end that communicates with nodes. All this is layer one, just unpacked.
Hydra once implemented will the the second layer. Also, all the NFTs and smart contracts coming with Goguen will be the second layer. I believe that testing is almost done and Goguen (second layers) will be deployed this July/August 2021.